Costa Mesa cancels three outsourcing bids

COSTA MESA — The city has rescinded three requests for bids from companies to take on city services following a letter from employee groups arguing that the requests violate municipal policy.

In an Aug. 1 letter to city Chief Executive Tom Hatch, Costa Mesa City Employee Assn. President Helen Nenedal argued that the city's request for proposals (RFP) to contract out animal control, video production and building inspection violate a city ordinance because a committee has not been formed to outline the proposals.

To adhere to city code, Costa Mesa now will form Contracting Committees, and these will include employee group representatives, Hatch announced Thursday. The committee will review a fourth RFP the city already sent out, he said.